Durable hydrophilic surface coatings

Abstract

A hydrophilic article for use in aqueous environments, including a substrate, an ionic polymeric layer on said substrate, and a disordered polyelectrolyte coating ionically bonded to said polymeric layer.

We claim: 
     
       1. A hydrophilic article for use in aqueous environments, comprising a porous substrate;   an ionic polymeric layer on said substrate; and   a disordered polyelectrolyte coating ionically bonded to said polymeric layer;   wherein said porous substrate has a surface with pores of an average diameter between 0.01 microns and 1 mm, or is made of perforated material.   
     
     
       2. The article of claim 1, wherein a drop of water placed on said coating is absorbed in less than 1 second after said article is subjected to dry storage at 25° C. for 3 months. 
     
     
       3. The hydrophilic article of claim 2, wherein said polymeric layer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of (A) polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, polycarbonates, silicone polymers, polyurethane, polyamides, polyimides, polyalkylacrylates, polyalkylmethacrylates, and fluorocarbon polymers; (B) poly-2-hydroxylethylmethacrylate, polyhydroxylalkyl methacrylates, polyhydroxylalkyl acrylates, polyacrylic amides, polymethacrylic amides, polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxide, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone; (C) polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyglycolide-co-lactides, polydioxanones, poly(glycolide-co-trimethylene carbonates), polyethylene carbonates, polyiminocarbonates, poly-β-hydroxybutyrates, polyesteramides, polyorthoesters, polyanhydrides, and cyanoacrylates; and (D) copolymers of members of (A), (B) and (C); and   said polyelectrolyte coating comprises a polyelectrolyte selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneimine, polyaminoalkyl methacrylate, polyvinylpyridine, polylysine, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polysulfonic acid, polyvinyl sulfate, polyacrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, and polystyrene sulfonic acid.   
     
     
       4. The article of claim 3, wherein said article is a matrix which retains solids, cells, or a target component. 
     
     
       5. The article of claim 1, wherein a drop of water placed on said coating is absorbed in less than 1 second after said article is subjected to aqueous storage at 50° C. for 3 months and dried. 
     
     
       6. The article of claim 5, wherein said polymeric layer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of (A) polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, polycarbonates, silicone polymers, polyurethane, polyamides, polyimides, polyalkylacrylates, polyalkylmethacrylates, and fluorocarbon polymers; (B) poly-2-hydroxylethylmethacrylate, polyhydroxylalkyl methacrylates, polyhydroxylalkyl acrylates, polyacrylic amides, polymethacrylic amides, polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxide, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone; (C) polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyglycolide-co-lactides, polydioxanones, poly(glycolide-co-trimethylene carbonates), polyethylene carbonates, polyiminocarbonates, poly-β-hydroxybutyrates, polyesteramides, polyorthoesters, polyanhydrides, and cyanoacrylates; and (D) copolymers of members of (A), (B) and (C); and   said polyelectrolyte coating comprises a polyelectrolyte selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneimine, polyaminoalkyl methacrylate, polyvinylpyridine, polylysine, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polysulfonic acid, polyvinyl sulfate, polyacrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, and polystyrene sulfonic acid.   
     
     
       7. The article of claim 6, wherein said article is a microcarrier for cultering cells. 
     
     
       8. The article of claim 1, wherein a drop of water placed on said coating is absorbed in less than 1 second after 30 ultrasonic wash cycles with deionized water. 
     
     
       9. The article of claim 1, wherein a drop of water placed on said coating is absorbed in less than 2 seconds after 60 ultrasonic wash cycles with deionized water. 
     
     
       10. The article of claim 8, wherein said polymeric layer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of (A) polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, polycarbonates, silicone polymers, polyurethane, polyamides, polyimides, polyalkylacrylates, polyalkylmethacrylates, and fluorocarbon polymers; (B) poly-2-hydroxylethylmethacrylate, polyhydroxylalkyl methacrylates, polyhydroxylalkyl acrylates, polyacrylic amides, polymethacrylic amides, polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxide, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone; (C) polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyglycolide-co-lactides, polydioxanones, poly(glycolide-co-trimethylene carbonates), polyethylene carbonates, polyiminocarbonates, poly-β-hydroxybutyrates, polyesteramides, polyorthoesters, polyanhydrides, and cyanoacrylates; and (D) copolymers of members of (A), (B) and (C); and   said polyelectrolyte coating comprises a polyelectrolyte selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneimine, polyaminoalkyl methacrylate, polyvinylpyridine, polylysine, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polysulfonic acid, polyvinyl sulfate, polyacrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, and polystyrene sulfonic acid.   
     
     
       11. The article of claim 1, wherein said polymeric layer comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of (A) polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyester, polycarbonates, silicone polymers, polyurethane, polyamides, polyimides, polyalkylacrylates, polyalkylmethacrylates, and fluorocarbon polymers; (B) poly-2-hydroxylethylmethacrylate, polyhydroxylalkyl methacrylates, polyhydroxylalkyl acrylates, polyacrylic amides, polymethacrylic amides, polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene oxide, and polyvinyl pyrrolidone; (C) polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, polyglycolide-co-lactides, polydioxanones, poly(glycolide-co-trimethylene carbonates), polyethylene carbonates, polyiminocarbonates, poly-β-hydroxybutyrates, polyesteramides, polyorthoesters, polyanhydrides, and cyanoacrylates; and (D) copolymers of members of (A), (B) and (C); and   said polyelectrolyte coating comprises a polyelectrolyte selected from the group consisting of polyethyleneimine, polyaminoalkyl methacrylate, polyvinylpyridine, polylysine, polyacrylic acid, polymethacrylic acid, polysulfonic acid, polyvinyl sulfate, polyacrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid, and polystyrene sulfonic acid.   
     
     
       12. The article of claim 11, wherein said polymeric layer is selected from polyester, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polymethylmethacrylate, polyglycolic acid, and polylactic acid; and said polyelectrolyte coating comprises polyethyleneimine. 
     
     
       13. The article of claim 1, wherein said article is a matrix which retains solids, cells, or a target component. 
     
     
       14. The article of claim 1, wherein said article is a microcarrier for culturing cells.